Opposition Jobbik leader Gábor Vona announced a programme for a safer, fairer and free Hungary at the party’s 16th national congress in Budapest on Saturday.
Addressing the congress, Vona called it “the gravest problem” that life in Hungary is still shaped by 20th-century reflexes, traumas and division, with many politicians abusing the situation rather than leaving the past behind.
Vona stressed the need for his party to build bridges and represent the interests of all Hungarians. He said that Jobbik is guided by the principle of working “with a Hungarian heart, common sense and clean hands”.
He called it important for everyone to prosper in their native land, and for society to “preserve its cultural bonds” to remain able to contain migration. “If, on a scale of 1 to 10, ruling Fidesz is protecting Hungary at scale 7, Jobbik would do it at scale 10,” he said.
Vona pressed for an increase in wages in Hungary and cited his party’s wage union initiative, saying that “Jobbik plans to push this through even from opposition because the principle of equal wage for equal work is missing from the European Union’s basic principles.”
He said ending corruption is a necessary “0 step” and more money must be spent on health care and education. “While Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has a craze for football, my craze would be health services and hospitals,” he said.
Vona said he was planning a fair and sustainable pension system and differentiated pension increases would be necessary to make sure that small and medium pensions do not lose their purchasing power.
The Jobbik leader described migration an “alarming threat” but added that emigration is “tragic reality”. The reason Hungarians go to live abroad today is not because they are after adventures, he insisted. If Jobbik enters government, “radical help” will be offered to career starters and for home creation because there is no future without young people in Hungary, he added.
Vona said that instead of joining forces with failed parties that have lost their credit and are responsible for the current situation, Jobbik must join forces with the people that want a change in government.
The congress was attended by 304 delegates out of the 388 who had registered.
Jobbik members officially elected Gábor Vona with 97 pc, as their prime ministerial candidate at their party congress.
Photo: MTI